Especially during the past year, the Reflector has been hearing
of theft and/or vandalism to engines and tractors while being
displayed at some of the various shows. Apparently most of this
activity takes place at night, since thieves are usually too
cowardly to do their work in open daylight. The gas engine and
tractor hobby has been notably free of this activity in the past,
so it is very unfortunate that thievery is now becoming a problem.
The point is that in order to help prevent thievery, we as
collectors need to take some preventive action.
First of all, we highly recommend that you note the serial
numbers, color, and other unique characteristics of your engines in
any small note-book. Should problems arise, at least you have this
much to go on if you need to describe your engine.
Secondly, we recommend the use of a metal etcher or other
marking device to affix your own special marking in an
inconspicuous location. This will further serve to identify an
engine should it be recovered.
Thirdly, it is becoming imperative that even the smaller shows
use some sort of security people during the nighttime hours, as
well as during the setup days prior to a show. The presence of the
local constabulary seems to greatly retard these activities.
While we do not wish to activate an unnecessary alarm, we hope
our readers will take heed and be alert to the fact that thievery
can occur. By taking some precautions in advance, the problem might
be minimized or avoided.
We also wish to address the problem of getting pictures returned
to their rightful owners. Occasionally, either the Reflector or the
Publisher fails to achieve this goal of getting pictures returned.
This is not at all intentional the Reflector received this month,
some over three pounds of individual letters and other materials
for present or future use in the column. Keeping all this in some
semblance of order is in itself a formidable task. We ask for your
patience in returning these items, and further request that you
write your name, address, and ‘Please Return To:’ on the
back of the photographs. Questions for this month begin with:
20/8/1 Menno L. Kliewer, 43138 Road 52,
Reedley, CA 93654 writes that ‘In restoring Maytag square tub
washing machines, a near perfect color match to the original is a
light gray spray paint called Orr-Lac No. 906 from Spray Products
Corp., Norristown, PA 19404. It is also distributed by Spray
Products Mfg. Inc., 1481 S. DeWolf Ave., Fresno, CA 93727.’ Mr.
Kliewer notes that he will be happy to assist anyone in this
matter.
20/8/2 We are looking for a manual or any
information on a Fairbanks-Morse 5 HP Type PZ, Style B engine, s/n
787303. William Boyd, 1520BTR 57,Rawson, OH45881.
20/8/3 Mr. P. ]. Counts, RR 1, Box 180,
Luthersville, GA 30251 is looking for an operator’s manual or
information on a Fairbanks-Morse Type ‘Y’, Style VA,
2-cylinder vertical oil engine.
A. If there is no response from GEM readers,
perhaps a phone call to the Customer Service people at
Fairbanks-Morse might work. We suspect the information is available
on a photocopy basis from the company, but getting to the right
people seems to be the problem.
20/8/4 Regarding the A. W. Gray’s Sons
Company at Poultney, Vermont, we have a letter from Mr. Carl F.
Altvater, 18 Ranch Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525: The company was
founded by Albert Wheeler Gray who died in 1886. His sons, Leonidas
and Albert Y. Gray carried on the business into the early
1900’s. They built and sold gasoline engines for a very few
years from the Gray foundry in Poultney in cooperation with the
Ruggles Machine Company of the same city. A fire destroyed the
business in the early igoo’s and engine building ceased.
A. W. Gray’s sons continued manufacturing
other farm equipment at their main plant in Middletown Springs,
Vermont until about 1917. About this time the Ruggles business was
taken over by another company. For further information, see page
215 of American Gas Engines Since 1872.
20/8/5 Q. We need information, color, etc. on
an Araco engine manufactured by Oil City Engine & Power
Company, Oil City, PA. The engine is #1732. It is of hot tube,
natural gas style with a flyball governor. Don Siver, Rt. 5, Box
187, Towerville, PA 19320.
A. American Gas Engines illustrates an Araco
engine on page 27, but this one indicates it was built by American
Railroad Appliance Company, Oil City, PA. Perhaps these two
companies were really one and the same???
20/8/6 Bob Ciaccio, 70 Fireside Lane, East
Setauket, NY 1173 3 recently acquired an engine resembling an
Associated or United. It has no name tag, but the crankshaft is
stamped 8G473A. Cast into the flywheels are the letters ABD. Also
needed is information on a Briggs & Stratton Model FI, s/n
4653.
A. A look at the Associated and United
indicates the three letter numberingsyStem was indeed used, but for
both styles, the flywheel part number begins with either C, D, or
E. A photograph might help in identifying the engine.
20/8/7 Q. What is the proper color scheme for
the International Famous 2 HP Vertical engines? It appears the
paint color was not always red, but in some cases the base and or
flywheels appear to be dark olive green. John Rex, Box ‘P’,
Bedford, MA 01730.
A. The Reflector has been wrestling with this
question for some time now. It is a certainty that all were not
painted the same we have concluded that the earlier production
gained the extra time and luxury of a two-tone job, plus some
striping and decals. During the latter production years, red and
red alone seems to have predominated. For instance an original IHC
catalog illustrating the Famous horizontal style in full color
depicts a red frame and cylinder, with the flywheels, crank guard,
push rod, cam gear, and valve mechanism all being the olive green.
While restoring our own 4 HP Famous horizontal we discovered this
to be partially, but not entirely so with olive green being used
very sparingly. Therefore, the Reflector has concluded that the
combination of red and olive green did indeed vary during the years
of production. We believe it to be accurate to restore an engine
just as it was originally finished, even though it may not
precisely fit some predetermined ideas of the proper colors. We
used DuPont 93-660-H red and 93-29609-H olive green.
20/8/8 Q. Where can we obtain Massey-Harris red
and Massey-Harris yellow enamel? Harold Eckstine, iii-H Hunter Hill
Apt., Hagerstown, MD 21740.
A. We believe that these colors can be matched
by DuPont, Sherwin-Williams, or other automotive stores in your
vicinity.
20/8/9 Art Anderson, Rt 1, 25275 I pava,
Lakeville, MN 55044 gives us a recipe for Fordson clutches that
will not release when cold. Noting the six notches in the driven
plates, Mr. Anderson says that after first numbering the notches I
through 6, place the disk on a large wooden block and hit it with a
round-faced hammer on notches 1,3, and 5. Then turn it over and
strike between notches 2, 4, and 6. It should be slightly wavy when
done. Do this to all the driven plates as indicated, and it will
shift like a car. Art also notes that he used this remedy back in
the 1920’s when he was in the auto and tractor repair
business.
A. Thanks for the information, Art. We hope
some of the Fordson people might benefit from your experience.
20/8/10 Edward L. Rumrill, 682 Skitchewaug
Trail, Springfield, VT 05156 needs information on a 1957 model
Planet Jr. garden tractor, and also needs information on a Centaur
garden tractor.
20/8/11 Q. I would like some information on an
International LB, 1-2 HP engine. It runs like a hit-and-miss engine
and it is not supposed to. 1 have had it all apart but cannot find
what is wrong. Brian Hutchings, Box 141, Smyrna, NY 13464.
A. If you do not have an operator’s manual,
reprints of these are available from several different GEM
advertisers. If the ignition timing and valve timing are correct,
then the most likely spot is in the carburetion system. A leaky
foot valve in the fuel tank might cause the problem, or the air
valve may need attention.
20/8/12 Q. I have a 6 HP Famous Hopper Cooled
engine (IHC) with a sub-base. The subbase has green paint on it.
What is the proper color? Also have a 6 HP Cummins diesel engine
and need information to get the fuel injection system repaired. Any
information will be of help. Dana Schroeder, RR 6, Box 138, Fergus
Falls, MN 56537.
A. The matter of IHC Famous engines has already
been covered in 20/8/7. This is the first we have heard of an early
Cummins diesel for some years now. Offhand, we don’t know of
another owner, but if someone can help out with this problem, let
us hear from you.
20/8/13 Rich Howard, Hysham, MT 59038 needs to
correspond with anyone having a 2-3 HP Alamo or Flying Dutchman
engine. Also requested is the proper color for a Rock Island
engine.
A.Our records indicate Rock Island engines to
be light brown, comparable to DuPont Dulux 93-24590.
20/8/14 Q. We have an Associated HP engine as
shown in an adjacent photograph. Need more information on this
engine, along with some magneto repair parts. H. W. Keathley, 5146
Rebridge Drive, Boise, ID 83703.
A. A former Associated Mfrs. plant manager once
told the Reflector that this particular engine caused the company
more headaches than all the rest put together. He went on to say
that for every 100 we shipped, it seemed like 200 came back.
Because of this, the HP model is not exceptionally plentiful. While
we cannot identify the magneto, we suspect that Associated might
have built it themselves this firm built their ownlow-tension
magnetos for most of their production years. Unless some real luck
comes along, precision machine work might be the next step in
getting this one complete and operating.
20/8/15 Fred Marineau, RR I, Box 180, Wallace,
MI 49893 asks for information on a 5 HP Galloway, s/n 44665,
including the proper color.
A. Although many Galloway engines are painted
the approximate shade of IHC red (DuPont 93-660-H), we suspect they
were slightly darker in shade, comparable to 93-2564-H red. No
serial number listings are known to exist.
20/8/16 Q. I have acquired the engine shown in
an adjacent photograph and I have not the faintest idea what it is.
It uses a rotary valve around the entire piston. Any information or
help on this engine will be appreciated. Stan Hockey, 605 E. 13 St.
N., Newton, IA 50208.
A. Now here’s one to identify! Any
suggestions???
